Auto Cad Electrical diagrams

[EEAutomEng]

We have been using AutoCad to draw our electrical diagrams and schematics but we are finding it to be a lengthy process to freehand them in AutoCad. We design and manufacture controls for part transfer systems with servo systems. Is anyone aware of a good AutoCad application designed for electrical drawings/schematics?

 

[Estassoc]

Are you currently using blocks and/or cut-n-paste method?
Have you look into parametrics programming using Autolisp?
Demos of this type of programming is available at

http://www.cadalog.com

or

http://www.caddepot.com

(filenames are
3DPV.vlx and 3DFLANGE.vlx). These demo programs are for
the mechanical/piping field but the concept is applicable
to all engineering fields.

Do you have a sample drawing of the schematics you're
doing? If you can e-mail me a complete sample drawings
(grevark@aol.com), I'll take a look and try to determine
if parametrics programming is applicable.

 

[markac]

check:

http://www.viadevelopment.com/

http://www.ecti.com/

 

[EEAutomEng]

Thanks markac and estassoc. The via software looks promising. We have tried using Promis-E but nobody liked it.....although that was before my time here so I would have to try it before I could say wether I liked it or not. Estassoc, we have been creating our own blocks and then copying and pasting them. There is nothing wrong with copying and pasting but creating our own blocks has proven to be time consuming especially when we make so many hardware changes. We are doing a big job for Ford Motor Co. and the Ford spec says that devices and wire numbers should be derived from the sheet line reference number.

 

[Teflon]

JMBurgess,
You'll find the Via WD software gives you quite a few options with regards to wire numbering. Numbering based upon reference number is one of them. They also have an excellent tool called WDSurf. You can right click on a symbol and "surf" to any symbols that are cross-referenced to it. Via has a fully functioning Demo at their web-site. See Marac's link above.

 

[Poohder]

JMBURGESS

If you are looking for a AutoCAD add-on package to meet the Ford w-EX6 specifications, take a look at EC-CAD's Global package at

http://www.icc-controls.com.

EC-CAD is based on Ford's spec and has all the symbols and blocks, along with the automatic device and wire numbers. Also, the Global package is in metric units, which meets their spec's.

Poohder